Author Topic: Apple Car Play interface - woeful  (Read 1866 times)

Offline Sootchucker

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Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« on: 04 January 2019, 07:40 »
Below is just my observations really (and a bit of a rant).

As a user of an Android (personal) and an iPhone (business) mobile telephones, I have access in the car to both Apple Car play (ACP) and Android Auto (AA). As my Iphone is usually in my laptop bag in the boot of the car, I usually (for the past few years) tend to use my Galaxy S9 via Android Auto to play either Spotify or Tune in Radio in the car.

Well, as last night I'd found the iPhone cable from VW that was supplied with the car back in May last year, I thought for the first time I'd give Apple car play a try. Whilst from a functionality and speed point of view it seems a wash between both technologies (i.e. ACP and AA), I was amazed at the different approaches both took to the actual visual interface. On AA (especially with the latest update), it looks very polished and well laid out with cover art and fonts big enough to read at a glance, but not too large. However on ACP, it looks like the interface was designed by a 4 year old. There's no cover art to speak off (the background is so blurred as to not even be worthwhile), and the fonts massive.

Now I know that these systems are designed to be as safe as possible and to be used whilst on the move, so therefore have to be as simple and easy to read as possible, in my humble option Apple have taken this to extremes and the interface needs a serious work over. AA shows that an interface can be simple and easy to read but elegant at the same time. Anyone else think the same. I take it due to Apple's strict ring fencing, it's not possible to re-skin or modify ACP's interface ?

As an example, here's TuneIn Radio this morning on both systems. Think from now on I'll be sticking with AA.

Apple Car Play


Android Auto
« Last Edit: 04 January 2019, 07:42 by Sootchucker »
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Offline Will2018

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #1 on: 04 January 2019, 09:04 »
Agreed, I hate having the cover art blurry and in the background on Apple Car play. Absolutely pointless.

Offline brettblade

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #2 on: 07 January 2019, 12:24 »
I far prefer ACP, it's less fussy and the buttons are far more prominent.   :whistle:
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Offline kmpowell

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #3 on: 07 January 2019, 12:34 »
I far prefer ACP, it's less fussy and the buttons are far more prominent.   :whistle:
This. ACP is designed for function, not aesthetics. The functionally & usability is like most Apple things, easy & intutive with simple buttons and things that don't distract.
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Offline Booth11

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #4 on: 07 January 2019, 12:56 »
I far prefer ACP, it's less fussy and the buttons are far more prominent.   :whistle:
I far prefer ACP, it's less fussy and the buttons are far more prominent.   :whistle:
This. ACP is designed for function, not aesthetics. The functionally & usability is like most Apple things, easy & intutive with simple buttons and things that don't distract.

As an ACP user, unsurprisingly, I agree. The interface is highly functional and I’m not interested in looking at album art when I’m driving a car, simply accessing the features necessary with the minimum of distraction and the greatest of ease. I haven’t used AA but ACP works exactly as you’d want an in-car system to with the emphasis on functionality not all singing, all dancing graphic which really isn’t what it’s about, for me anyway.
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Offline CHB100

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #5 on: 07 January 2019, 14:41 »
ACP for me also, I only use Spotify and Waze. Waze much clearer map with an iPhone than my previous android. Directions terrific and voice not as robotic as alternatives.
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Offline JoeGTI

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #6 on: 07 January 2019, 19:04 »
Have VW made CarPlay wireless yet? For me that was it’s biggest weakness / pain in the neck. Having to plug in the USB cable in order for it to work. I just couldn’t be bothered a lot of the time. It also disabled all the bluetooth features and the steering wheel buttons barring volume up/down were rendered useless.

Having experienced it in a different car (bmw) in recent times, I can see it can be done so much better:
- wirelsss (don’t even take phone out of pocket)
- bluetooth still works (so for example a 2nd phone connection will work simultaneously)
- much better integration with native system, e.g. steering wheel buttons function with CarPlay.

Hopefully VW improve this integration in future models.
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Offline fredgroves

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Re: Apple Car Play interface - woeful
« Reply #7 on: 07 January 2019, 19:18 »
No Joe. I think maybe the latest TV adverts from Vw suggest that some new vehicles (not golf's) have a newer version of mib though... Native text to speech for example.
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